Lower Tidmarsh Volunteer Fire Brigade
Bio The Lower Tidmarsh Volunteer Fire Brigade is a local fire-fighting team in the English village of Lower Tidmarsh. Inept, unprofessional and inexperienced, what the brigade lacks in professionalism they make up for in spirit and enthusiasm. They reside on the top floor of their firehouse, and when a call comes in, the fire chief (Benny Hill) wakes to take the call, putting on his fire hat in his official status and writing the address on toilet paper from the bathroom. The brigade is a six-member team; the only female member (Sue Bond/Sue Upton) is usually the last one down the pole as the men look up her skirt as she slides down. The fire engine is an older model engine that needs to be cranked with the female firefighter's underwear getting caught in the crank. On the way to the fire, the brigade gets distracted by a stop at the Black Lion Pub, a bathroom break in a field, apples from a low-hanging tree and hitch-hikers (Louise English and Lee Gibson) from whom their elderly member (Jackie Wright) catches up with them. On arrival, the fire chief takes care to ring the doorbell to confirm the address first, despite the fact the elderly member of the team has already chopped through the door. The owner (Liz Fraser/Clare Smalley) immediately sends them on their way. The ladder is whipped out on location, but the old man gets vertigo on the second rung, and the fire chief has to lead the way. He is quick to change windows when he sees the more voluptuous and attractive blonde (Lesley Goldie/Allison Bell) in the other upstairs window. Eventually, they get the hose ready, but the only thing that gets sprayed is the female member (Sue Bond)/Sue Upton) of the team. Eventually, another woman appears in her undies (Jo Thomas) from another window, and the tarp is pulled out to catch her jumping to safety. The tarp comes equipped with the old firefighter (Jackie Wright) hiding in it to further pad her fall. When the brigade takes a moment to pose for a photo for the newspaper by a photographer (Ken Sedd), the young lady falls straight to the pavement. She's carried away on the stretcher and joined in the stretcher by the old man. The fire is eventually traced to a burning pot on the stove by another tenant (Connie Georges/Lee Gibson, and the brigade relaxes with cigarettes lit on a single match, which gets promptly tossed into the structure, starting another disaster. Trivia * This sketch was performed twice. The December 23, 1970 version featured Benny Hill, Jackie Wright, Nicholas Parsons, Tommy Mann and Sue Bond with Walter Goodman, Jan Butlin and Verne Morgan in extra roles. The February 11, 1981 featured Benny Hill, Jackie Wright, Henry McGee, Bob Todd and Sue Upton with Lee Gibson, Louise English, Alison Bell, Ken Sedd and Alison Thomas in other roles. * The 1981 version includes scenes not included in the 1970 version, such as Jackie Wright getting left behind, the apple tree, the stop at the Black Lion Pub, the hitch-hikers and the second tenant (Jo Thomas) who crashes to the ground and wrestles with Jackie. * The exterior locations to either of the sketches have yet to be identified. * The 1981 version of the sketch was featured in the "Video Sideshow" VHS from HBO. Episode(s) * Opportunity's Knocking * Murder on the Oregon Express * A Tribute to the Lower Tidmarsh Volunteer Fire Brigade Gallery Fire36.JPG Fire37.JPG Fire38.JPG Fire1.JPG Fire39.JPG Fire40.JPG Fire2.JPG Fire3.JPG Fire4.JPG Fire5.JPG Fire41.JPG Fire6.JPG Fire42.JPG Fire43.JPG Fire44.JPG Fire7.JPG Fire45.JPG Fire8.JPG Fire46.JPG Fire47.JPG Fire9.JPG Fire10.JPG Fire12.JPG Fire13.JPG Fire14.JPG Fire50.JPG Fire11.JPG Fire51.JPG Fire15.JPG Fire16.JPG Fire52.JPG Fire17.JPG Fire017.jpg Fire53.JPG Fire18.JPG Fire19.JPG Fire55.JPG Fire020.jpg Fire21.JPG Fire56.JPG Fire22.JPG Fire57.JPG Fire58.JPG Fire023.jpg Fire24.JPG Fire25.jpg Fire26.JPG Fire27.JPG Fire28.JPG Fire29.JPG Fire30.JPG Fire31.JPG Fire32.JPG Fire59.JPG Fire33.JPG Fire34.JPG Fire35.JPG Fire60.JPG Category:Groups